The Hufflepuff in the Family
by nearlyheadlessnerd
Summary: Set in Harry and Draco's third year at Hogwarts, this is the story of Pandora Malfoy, Draco's little sister, who arrives at Hogwarts, only to be sorted into Hufflepuff. Needless to say, Draco doesn't react well. I've tried to keep Draco's character as close to his own in the books, but just explored it a little with the addition of a sister. Ihope you enjoy it!
1. Chapter 1

"Hey Pandy have you seen my Arithmancy text book? I know I had it this morning when... Again?" Draco had now opened the door to his sister's room and was looking down at the blonde 11 year old, curled up on the carpet, staring avidly at a fleur-de-lis motif. Draco sighed and prodded the unmoving girl with his toe. She merely grunted and continued lying on her side, studying the carpet. A few more prods resulted in only a few more uncooperative grunts and in her curling up tighter into herself. The teenage boy gave up with a sigh and flopped down onto his little sisters bed. For a while they both lay there in silence, both staring at nothing in particular. "Isn't this the third time this..."

"Fourth time. It happened again yesterday evening. You'd gone to bed."

"you're going to be _fine_ Pandora. You'll get there and you'll forget why you ever worried. There'll be plenty of other first years just as terrified as you there, Fenton Goyle's starting this year too so he'll be there, _I'll _be there for heavens sake." Draco rolled over onto his side and gave his sister a grin. "Worst case scenario, on your way across the lake you get drowned by the giant squid and you never even make it to the sorting ceremony" At this Pandora Malfoy stopped staring at the carpet and looked wth alarm at her brother. "Squid! The letter said nothing about a giant _squid_!" Now that he finally had his sister's attention he pushed himself off the bed, stepping carefully over the piles of brand new text books and robes. In the centre of the room, standing over the curled up Pandora was an open, half empty trunk. It was August 31st and the setting sun shining through the window caused everything to glow with a soft golden light. Tomorrow morning they'd both take the Hogwarts Express from plantform 9 and three quarters to begin a new school year. Draco's third. Pandora's first. Still not moving from her position on the floor Pandora watched her brother approach the window, pushing the midnight blue curtains fully open so that even sideways she could appreciate the beauty of Malfoy Manor's grounds stretching away into the middle distance. The familiar sight sent another jolt of apprehension as again she turned her thoughts to the train that would take her away from home for an entire term. Although she now had to admit that half an hour of sulking on the floor was getting uncomfortable. "And I hate Fenton. He's just as much of a thug as his brother."

"Then just hope that it's him the squid decides to have for dinner" Despite herself, Pandora giggled. Draco spun round from the window with a triumphant grin and hoisted her up onto her feet. He knew he's won this one. Together they returned to the window and gazed out at the view. The light was now fading fast but she could just make out the shape of a stag gliding through the deer park beyond the landscaped gardens. Suddenly it froze mid stride as a peacock's cry echoed around the grounds. Pandora sighed and rested her forehead against the cold glass. She just couldn't leave this place. Her home. "It'll be christmas before you know it. Mother said lights out in half an hour for the early start tomorrow. Come on I'll help you pack."


	2. Chapter 2

Mother was crying. Pandora wasn't in much of a better mood. As soon as Draco had spotted his two beefy friends tumbling through the solid brick entrance to the platform he left to join them, immediately assuming the position of group leader. Drawn up to the platform was a vast red steam train. It looked a little like an impatient dragon as steam billowed and the grumbling noise of the engines filled the station. All around the train- hanging out of windows, milling around on the platform, suddenly materialising out of the brick wall- were people. All of them seemed to know each other, all of them were looking forward to their new school year. There was a group of older girls, all talking over each other as loudly and as quickly as possible in an effort to impart the greatest amount of gossip in the shortest amount of time. A tabby cat streaked through her legs, closely followed by a harried looking second year as he sprinted after it, repeatedly apologising as he bumped into students carrying piles of trunks and owl cages. Behind her was a family who by their odd clothes and wide eyes Pandora could only assume were muggles. She edged closer into her mother's robes, and grasped onto her hand. That wasn't something that she had done since she was very little and before Draco started calling her 'mummy's girl' but right now she didn't really care. She just wanted to go _home_. Whistles blew. In a sudden whirl of last minute hair ruffles and blown noses, she somehow found herself shepherded through the doors of the train and desperately hanging out of a window to find her parents and wave her last goodbyes. Draco, standing on her left at the window was too cool to wave. Pandora however, willing the hot prickly tears forming in her eyes back into her tear ducts watched as the twin blonde heads of her parents disappeared from view behind the seething mass of other parents waving and crying out. And then they were gone. Somehow within seconds the dirty greyness of London council flats were replaced by the soft, undulating green hills of South East England. Turning back to her left it transpired that her brother had also vanished, leaving her alone in the corridor with only a giggling group of fourth years. If there was going to be a time to start being brave, this was it. She threw her shoulders back and plastered the slight, confident smile that gave her father and brother such an air of careless glamour onto her face. She managed about ten strides like this before bursting into tears and throwing herself into the nearest empty compartment to sob in silence.


	3. Chapter 3

Over the past few weeks Jamie Faircastle had been preparing himself for a whole new life. As he waved goodbye to his parents and baby sister from a window of the Hogwarts Express he was 11 years old with unremarkable brown eyes that were mostly obscured by a thicket of messy brown curls. Although those eyes were scanning with interest the swirling crowd of fussing mothers, escaped cats and independently moving luggage trolleys, he had already determined not to allow any of it to surprise or bother him. Admittedly sitting across from a formidable elderly lady in his own living room two months ago in his own living room as she explained precisely to him and his gaping parents in a genteel Scottish accent what she, and indeed Jaimie himself, were had been a little stupefying. He could also not deny being more than a little shocked when this oddly dressed woman had smoothly _turned herself into a cat _to prove her point. At least he hadn't fainted like his father. That had been a rather excessive he thought. And so, as he sat calmly on an armchair with a cup of tea and a saucer on his lap, Jaimie's world became a little bigger. Helping his father to his feet he made his decision that he must and would adapt. And so he did. When his muggle (a term explained to him by the cat lady) money was changed into piles of bronze, gold, and silver by a glowering goblin he didn't flinch. When he was passed in the wizarding bookshop by a man carrying a cage of snapping and snarling textbooks he barely turned his head. Ten minutes ago he had calmly stridden through the solid brick wall between platforms 9 and 10 before waiting patiently for his parents, physics teachers both, to follow on glassy eyed. Yet still, having edged his way down the train corridor to find an empty compartment he heard a noise that brought him to a standstill. What he thought he had heard- no he was certain of it, was the clear sound of someone desperately trying not to be head crying. Jamie heard no attention seeking bawling; only the occasional choked sob and soft whimper. The noise was so obviously, clearly trying so hard not to draw attention to itself that he could only look around and try to locate the pitiful sound. (It should be noted here that he had been brought up very carefully by his parents. As a result he was a kind hearted boy for whom the sound of weeping was no less than a call to arms.) It was in the next compartment that he finally spied the source. It was empty apart from one small girl with a cascade of pale blonde hair. Her somewhat pinched face had become a landscape of red and white blotches. With her feet up on the seat and her knees pulled tightly to her chest she was performing an irregular ritual of silent gasping sobs, wiping her puffy eyes with the hair that fell damply across her face, pushing back her shoulders and forcing a resolute definitely-in-no-way-was-just-crying face, then plunging back into a salty waterfall of tears. After watching two cycles of this Jaimie's knight errant instincts kicked in. He knocked politely but firmly on the glass partition then shouldered his way into the compartment.


End file.
